Tamper-proof container for hypodermic syringes



N. L. HOBBS 3,207,302 TAMPER-PROOF CONTAINER FOR HYPODERMIC SYRINGESSept. 21, 1965 Filed July 10, 1962 INVENTOR NORMAN L.HOBBS ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,207,362 TAMPER-PROOF (IONTAINER FOR HYPODERMICSYRINGES Norman L. Hobbs, Rosemont, Pa., assignor to American HomeProducts Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware FiledJuly 10, 1962, Ser. No. 208,841 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-632) This inventionrelates generally to sealed containers for materials, and moreparticularly, to a tamper-proof sterile package for a plurality ofdisposable hypodermic syringes.

Disposable hypodermic syringes for injecting medicaments of variouskinds have found such widespread use in the medical and relatedprofessions that it has been found useful to the ultimate user andeconomical to the supplier to package a plurality of such units in asingle container. However, the existing packages for the most part havebeen found to have several disadvantages in that they are comparativelycostly and nonetheless lend themselves to pilferage of the disposablesyringes, breakage thereof: contamination and/or adulteration of themedicaments contained therein, and also raise problems in connectionwith storing of the containers, such as when it may be advantageous tostack a plurality of containers in a limited space.

With the foregoing disadvantages of the containers presently availablein mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide acontainer for a plurality of disposable hypodermic syringes whichcontainer may he opened easily for removal of a single syringe asdesired without disturbing the sterile packaging of the remainingsyringes.

It is another object to provide a container which, when opened to removea syringe therefrom, may no longer be closed, thereby to indicate to theuser whether the containcr has previously been tampered with.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container of thekind referred to which is economical to manufacture since it requires aminimum amount of material due to its generally asymmetricconfiguration.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an asymmetricalcontainer of the type described which nevertheless permits storage ofthe containers without undue breakage of the hypodermic syringescontained there- It is another object of the invention to provide aconrtainer as described which permits stacking of a plurality ofcontainers.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent as a result of a better understanding thereof uponreference to the description that follows.

Generally, the tamper-proof container for sterile disposable hypodermicsyringes in accordance with the present invention comprises a bottomshell, said shell comprising a plurality of first pairs of firstgenerally upstanding walls, each of said first walls being substantiallyparallel to the other of said first walls; a plurality of firstconnecting bottom walls, each of said first pairs of first walls beingconnected at the lower portions thereof by a respective one of saidfirst bottom walls to define therewith a first elongate pocket at oneend of said shell to pro vide thereby a plurality of said first elongatepockets extending in the same general direction in side-by-side parallelrelationship; said first upstanding walls and said first bottom wallshaving predetermined dimensions whereby each of said first pockets isadapted to contain completely the cartridge portion of a sterilehypodermic syringe; a plurality of second pairs of second generallyupstanding walls, each of said second walls being sub- "ice stantiallyparallel to the other of said second walls; a plurality of secondconnecting bottom walls, each of said second pairs of second walls beingconnected at the bottom portions thereof by a respective one of saidsecond bottom walls to define therewith a second elongate pocket at theother end of said shell to provide therebya plurality of second elongatepockets extending in the same general direction in side-by-side parallelrelationship and with each of said second pockets extending axially ofand in communication with a respective one of said first pockets; saidsecond upstanding walls and said second bottom walls havingpredetermined dimensions whereby each of said second elongate pockets isadapted to contain completely the needle and cannula cover of thecartridge of the hypodermic syringe contained in the first pocket fromwhich the second pocket extend-s axially and with which it is incommunication; a plurality of webs, each of said webs joining the upperportions of adjacent ones of said first and second upstanding walls ofadjacent pockets, said webs having at least the highest portions thereofin coplanar relationship; a top peripheral coplanar edge merging intothose of said first and second upstanding walls of said pockets whichare located immediately adjacent the periphery of said bottom shell,said coplanar web portions and said coplanar top peripheral edge beingin the same plane; and a fiat cover, said cover comprising a flexiblesheet having at least a major portion thereof removably adhered to andsubstantially coextensive with said top peripheral edge, said sheet alsobeing removably adhered to said coplanar web portions; and means forremoving one portion of said fiat flexible cover at a time for renderingaccessible only one of said first pockets without affecting the sealingclosure of any of the other of said pockets.

Preferably, both the shell and cover are of plastic materials which, inthe case of the shell, is of a substantially rigid variety and in thecase of the cover, is of a flexible variety as already referred toherein. It is also preferred that either the shell or the cover betransparent in order to permit a visual check of the contents of thecontainer. It is further preferred that the cover of flexible plasticmaterial be adhered to the shell by sonic welding. In such case, it hasbeen found that the sonic welds themselves tend to weaken the plasticcover adjacent the points of attachment and thus give tear edges topermit facile removal of a single strip from the cover, as describedhereinafter. However, the cover may alternatively be cemented to thebase shell, and in such case should preferably be provided with lines ofperforations adjacent the lines of attachment to facilitate removal ofstrips of the flexible plastic cover. Obviously, even in those caseswhere the cover is sonic-welded to the base shell, perforations may alsobe provided to further facilitate removal of the strips.

-A preferred embodiment of the device, in accordance with the presentinvention and as an illustration thereof, is now described below withreference to the drawing wherein:

The figure is a perspective view of a filled and sealed container havingparts broken away and two hypodermic syringes removed from theirrespective recesses in order to illustrate better the construction ofthe container. The container is also shown with one strip partiallylifted to indicate the manner of removal thereof to permit access to asingle hypodermic syringe at a time.

Referring to the drawing, the tamper-proof container for hypodermicsyringes comprises essentially a formed substantially rigid plasticbottom or base shell 2 provided with a transparent flexible plasticcover or top 3. Base shell 2 is provided with a plurality of recesses 4.Each of the recesses 4 has an elongate comparatively deep and wide wellportion 5 formed by a pair of opposed upstanding side walls 6, an endwall 6a, and a curvilinear bottom wall 7, and a second elongate butcomparatively shallower and narrower well portion 8 each formed by apair of opposed, upstanding side walls 9, an end wall 9a, and acurvilinear bottom wall 10. Elongate well 8 is in communication withelongate well and extends substantially axially therefrom via a shorterwell portion 11 which is intermediate said wells 5 and 8 with respect todepth and width as well as position, for a purpose that will appearpresently.

The top edges of pairs of adjacent walls 6 of adjacent pairs of wells orpockets 5 merge into and are connected by webs 12 also formed of thebody of shell 2. Similarly, the top edges of adjacent pairs of walls 9of adjacent pairs of wells or pockets 8 merge into and are connected bywebs 13. Webs 13 are wider than webs 12, but in each case, a respectiveweb 13 is in effect unitary with a respective web 12 and lies in thesame horizontal plane therewith and with each of the other webs 12 and13, for a purpose that will also appear presently. The outside sidewalls 6 and 9 of the respective wells 5 and 8 of the two outermostpockets 4 in base shell 2, merge at their upper ends into respectivehorizontally disposed peripheral side edges 14. Similarly, theupstanding end walls 6a and 9a of wells 5 and 8 respectively merge intohorizontally disposed peripheral end edges 15. As shown, horizontallydisposed perpiheral side and end edges 14 and 15 and horizontallydisposed webs 12 and 13, all lie in the same horizontal plane.

The depth and width of wells 5 are designed so that the cartridgeportions 16 of the hypodermic syringes 17 contained in shell 2 do notprotrude above the upper surface of coplanar edges 14, 15 and webs 12,13. The cartridge portions 16 are retained against lateral movement byabutment with the upstanding walls 6, and against longitudinal movementin the direction to the right as viewed in the figure by abutment with arespective wall 6a. The depth and width of walls 8 are similarlydesigned to support and retain the needle and cannula cover 18 of arespective hypodermic syringe 17 against lateral displacement.Additionally, relative longitudinal movement in recesses 4 of syringes17, toward the left as viewed in the figure, is restricted by shoulders7b of the smaller wells 11 each of which is abutted by the ferrule 19 ofthe syringe 17 in a respective recess 4, whereby the needle covered bythe cannula sheath 18 is further protected.

Substantially co-extensive with the fiat top of bottom shell 2 presentedby said coplanar edges 14 and 15 and said webs 12 and 13, is a fiattransparent flexible plastic cover sheet 3, which, it its end adjacentedge 15 connected to walls 6a (and hence adjacent the ends of thecartridges 16 of the hypodermic syringes 17 in container 1) extendslaterally beyond said edge 15 in a series of tabs 20. Transparent cover3 is adhered to said coplanar webs 12 and 13 by double lines of sonicwelds 21. As appears in the figure, the ends 22 of each of tabs 20extend into a line of a sonic weld 21.

In the manufacture of the container 1, after shell 2 has been separatelymolded into the form shown, and the recesses 4 have been filled withproperly oriented sterile filled hypodermic syringes 17; cover 3 iswelded to base 2, with the former still in the shape of a rectangle andhaving one edge 23 thereof extending beyond edge 15. After sonic weldingat 21, cover 3 is then die cut at 24, thus forming tabs 20.

Container 1, when not in use, may be stored with its bottom shell 2 on aflat surface. In such case, due to the fact that the combinedliquid-filled cartridge 16' and ferrule 19 portions of the hypodermicsyringes 17 are appreciably heavier than the cannula sheathed needleportions 18 thereof, the container 1 maintains a normal attitude on thefiat surface wherein curved bottom walls 7 of deeper wells 5 bearcompletely on said surface while curved bottom walls of shallower wells8 are positioned above said surface in substantially parallelrelationship thereto. As a matter of fact, due to the disproportionatetotal weights of the two ends of the container 1, when the latter may beinadvertently tilted, even to the extent whereby the distal ends ofcurved bottom walls 19 contact the surface; upon release of the forcecausing such tilting, container 1 will pivot back to said normalattitude wherein only curved bottom walls 7 bear on said surface.Alternatively, of course, container 1 may be inverted to rest on theentire surface of flat cover 3, if desired, until a syringe 17 is to beremoved from the container 1 in the manner described below.

When it is desired to remove a single sterile disposable hypodermicsyringe 17 from the tamper-proof container, it is only necessary tomaintain container 1 with the bottom shell 2 thereof on a surface, withone hand, and to grasp, with the other hand, a tab 20 for applying alifting and tearing force along the sonic welds 21 adjacent the ends 22of said tab 20, whereby a hypodermic syringe 17 is exposed for removalwithout disturbing the adjacent seal of any of the other hypodermicsyringes, as indicated in the figure at A.

It will, of course, be understood that, although a specific andpreferred embodiment of the invention has been described above indetail, many changes and modifications may be made and said inventionembodied in widely differing forms without departing from the spirit andscope thereof in its broader aspects coming within the language or scopeof any one or more of the appended claims. Merely by way of example, thebase shell member may be made of various materials other than plastic,such as metal, glass, stiff paper; the cover may also be of materialother than plastic, such as treated paper or other fabric; tabs may beprovided at the other end of the container to permit removal of stripsstarting from said end; supporting legs may be provided at the end ofthe container in which the shallower wells are located; etc.

It will also be apparent that because of the effectively horizontalsupporting surfaces provided by fiat cover 3 and the lowermostsurface-contacting edges of curvilinear bottom walls 7, in conjunctionwith the greater weight of the ends of the containers 1 in which deeperpockets 4 are located, as referred to hereinbefore; said containers areadapted for stacking with either their covers 3 or their base shells 2uppermost, as desired.

I claim:

1. A tamper-proof container for sterile disposable hypodermic syringes,said container comprising:

(A) a substantially rigid plastic unitary bottom shell,

said unitary shell comprising:

(1) a plurality of first pairs of first generally upstanding walls, eachof said first walls being substantially parallel to the other of saidfirst walls,

(2) a plurality of first connecting bottom walls of curvilinearconfiguration, each of said first pairs of first walls being connectedat the lower portions thereof by a respective one of said first bottomwalls to define therewith a first elongate pocket at one end of saidshell to provide thereby a plurality of said first elongate pocketsextending in the same general direction in side-by-side parallelrelationship,

(3) said first upstanding walls and said first bottom walls havingpredetermined dimensions whereby each of said first pockets conformssubstantially completely to the shape of and is adapted to containcompletely the cartridge portion of a sterile hypodermic syringe,

(4) a plurality of second pairs of second generally upstanding walls,each of said second walls being substantially parallel to the other ofsaid second walls,

(5) a plurality of second connecting bottom walls of curvilinearconfiguration, each of said second pairs of second walls being connectedat the bottom portions thereof by a respective one of said second bottomwalls to define therewith a second elongate pocket at the other end 6standing walls, each of said first walls being substantially parallel tothe other of said first walls, (2) a plurality of first connectingbottom walls of said shell to provide thereby a plurality of 5 ofcurvilinear configuration, each of said first second elongate pocketsextending in the same Pairs 0f first Walls being Connected at the lowergeneral direction in side-by-side parallel rela- Portions e eof by arespective One Of s d tionship and with each of said second pocketsexfirst tt rn walls t d fin th r W th a first tending axially of and incommunication with elongate Pocket a One end f said Shell t a respectiveone of said first o ket 10 provide thereby a plurality of said firstelongate (6) said second upstanding walls and said second pocketsextending in the same general direction bottom walls havingpredetermined dimensions in Y- Parallel relationship, whereby each ofsaid second elongate pockets (3) said first upstanding walls and saidfirst botconforms substantially completely to the shape tom curvilinearwalls having predetermined diof and is adapted to contain completely thmensions whereby each of said first pockets needle and cannula cover ofthe cartridge of conforms substantially completely to the shape thehypodermic syringe contained in the first of and is adapted to containcompletely the pocket from which the second pocket extends cartridgeportion of a sterile hypodermic syringe, axially and with which it is incommunication, (4) a plurality of second pairs of second generally (7) aplurality of webs, each of said web joinupstanding walls, each of saidsecond walls being the upper portions of adjacent one of aid ingsubstantially parallel to the other of said first and said secondupstanding walls of adjasecond walls, cent pockets, said webs having atleast the high- (5) a plurality of second connecting bottom walls estportions thereof in coplanar relationship, of curvilinear configurationeach of said sec- (8) a top peripheral coplanar edge merging into 0ndpairs of second walls being connected at those of said first and secondupstanding walls the bottom portions thereof by a respective one of saidpockets which are located immediately of said second bottom walls todefine therewith adjacent the periphery of said bottom shell, a secondelongate pocket at the other end of said said coplanar web portions andsaid coplanar shell to provide thereby a plurality of second topperipheral edge being in the same plane, elongate pockets extending inthe same general (9) said pockets formed in said bottom shellbedirection in side-by-side parallel relationship,

ing devoid of any other connection to each other and with each of saidsecond pockets extendthan by said plurality of webs and said top ingaxially of and in communication with a peripheral coplanar edge,respective one of said first pockets, (10) said second pockets being ofless depth and (6) said second upstanding walls and said secnarrowerthan said first pockets, ond bottom Walls having predetermined dimen-(B) a plurality of hypodermic syringes each syringe sions whereby eachof said second elongate comprising: pockets conforms substantiallycompletely to (1) a liquid-filled cartridge, and the shape of and isadapted to contain com- (2) a cannula-sheathed needle attached thereto,pletely the needle and cannula cover of the carwith tridge of thehypodermic syringe contained in (3) each of said syringes beingpositioned within the first pocket from which the second pocket arespective recess with said cartridge retained extends axially and withwhich it is in comcompletely within said first elongate pocket, andmunication, said cannula-sheathed needle in said second (7) a pluralityof third pairs of third generally elongate pocket, whereby each of saidsyringes upstanding walls, each of said third walls being is retainedagainst both lateral and tilting movesubstantially parallel to the otherof said third ment in said shell; and walls, (C) a flat cover, saidcover comprising: (8) a plurality of third connecting bottom walls (1) aflexible sheet having the peripheral edges of curvilinear configuration,each of said third thereof adhered to and substantially co-extensivepairs of third walls being connected at the botwith said top peripheraledge, means adhering torn portions thereof by a respective one of saidsaid sheet to said coplanar web portions, wherethird bottom walls todefine therewith a short by said syringes are retained within saidbottom pocket intermediate said ends of said shell to Shell, providethereby a plurality of short pockets (2) means for removing one portionof said flat extending in the same general direction in sideflexiblecover at a time along predetermined tear by-side parallel relationshipand with each of lines for rendering accessible, for lateral removal aidshort pockets functioning as the means of from its respective first andsecond elongate communication between said first and said secpockets,only one of said syringes without attectnd pockets, ing the sealingclosure of any of the other of (9) said third upstanding walls and saidthird said syringes, and bottom walls having predetermined dimensionsSaid means adhering Said Sheet to Said whereby each of said plurality ofshort pockets planar web portions, and said means for reconformssubstantially completely to the shape moving one portion of said fiatflexible cover so of and is adapted to contain completely the at a timealong pre-determined tear lines being ferrule of the hypodermic syringecontained in comprised of a P of Straight Sonic Weld lines said firstand second pockets with which said which extend co-extensively of theentire lengths short pocket is in communication, and the porf a h of anadjacent pair of said plurality of tion of said third bottom wall whichmerges Webs along sa d highest P n theTeOfwith said second bottom Wallof the second elongate pocket in communication therewith forms ashoulder whereby longitudinal move- (A) a substantially rigid plasticbottom shell, said shell ment of the cartridge in a first elongatepocket being a unitary structure which comprises: r in the directiontoward said second elongate (1) a plurality of first pairs of firstgenerally uppocket is restricted,

2. A tamper-proof container for sterile disposable hypodermic syringes,said container comprising:

(10) a plurality of webs, each of said webs joining the upper portionsof adjacent ones of said first, said second and said third upstandingwalls of adjacent pockets, said webs having at thereof adhered to saidtop peripheral edge by means of longitudinal sonic welds, said sheetbeing substantially co-extensive with said top peripheral edge, saidsheet also being adhered least the highest portions thereof in coplanarto said coplanar web portions by means of longirelationship, tudinalsonic welds, and

(11) a top peripheral coplanar edge merging into (2) said sheetextending beyond that portion of those of said first, second and thirdupstanding said top peripheral edge which lies adjacent walls of saidpockets which are located immedithe distal ends of said first elongatepockets ately adjacent the periphery of said bottom shell, in the formof a plurality of tabs, each of said said coplanar web portions and saidcoplanar top peripheral edge being in the same plane,

tabs being connected with a single elongate portion of said sheetdefined between a pair of (12) said pockets formed in said bottom shellbeing devoid of any other connection to each other than by saidplurality of webs and said 15 top peripheral coplanar edge,

(13) said second pockets being of less depth and narrower than saidfirst pockets, and said third pockets being of less depth and narrowerthan both said first and said second pockets.

(B) a plurality of hypodermic syringes, each syringe comprising:

( 1) a liquid-filled cartridge,

(2) a cannula-sheathed needle, and

(3) a ferrule mounting said needle on said carsonic welds of which eachweld is located at opposite sides of a single system of said first,second and third pockets whereby said tabs present means for removingone portion of said fiat flexible cover at a time at a pair of adjacentsonic welds for rendering accessible only one of said single systems ofsaid first, second and third pockets without affecting the sealingclosure of any of the other of said pockets.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS tridge, with2,138,241 11/38 Koch et a1 20656 (4) each of said syringes beingpositioned within 2887215 5/59 Hlltchlson 2O6 17-5 a respective recesswith said cartridge retained 21892538 Mlddleion 206-43 completely withsaid first elongate pocket, said 2,897,962 8/59 Zackhelm 206*56cannula-sheathed needle in said second elongate 3105 4,679 9/62 Brldford206 56 pocket, and said ferrule in said short pocket, 3,074,540 1/63Bfilch whereby each of said syringes is retained against 3,075,639 1/63Lmgley 206 8; both lateral and tilting movement in said shell; 39959846/63 Whlte 206 and (C) a flat transparent flexible plastic cover, saidcover THERON CONDON Prlmary Exammer' comprising: EARLE J. DRUMMOND,Examlner.

(1) a flexible sheet having a peripheral edges

2. A TAMPER-PROOF CONTAINER FOR STERILE DISOSABLE HYPODERMIC SYRINGES,SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING: (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID PLASTIC BOTTOMSHELL, SAID SHELL BEING A UNITARY STRUCTURE WHICH COMPRISES: (1) APLURALITY OF FIRST PAIRS GENERALLY UPSTANDING WALLS, EACH OF SAID FIRSTWALLS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST WALLS, (2)A PLURALITY OF FIRST CONNECTING BOTTOM WALLS OF CURVILINEARCONFIGURATION, EACH OF SAID FIRST PAIRS OF FIRST WALLS BEING CONNECTEDAT THE LOWER PORTIONS THEREOF BY A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID FIRST BOTTOMWALLS TO DEFINE THEREWITH A FIRST ELONGATE POCKET AT ONE END OF SAIDSHELL TO PROVIDE THEREBY A PLURALITY OF SAID FIRST ELONGATE POCKETSEXTENDING IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION IN SIDE-BY-SIDE PARALLELRELATIONSHIP, (3) SAID FIRST UPSTANDING WALLS AND SAID FIRST BOTTOMCURVILINEAR WALLS HAVING PREDETERMINED DIMENSIONS WHEREBY EACH OF SAIDFIRST POCKETS CONFORMS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY TO THE SHAPE OF AND ISADAPTED TO CONTAIN COMPLETELY THE CARTRIDGE PORTION OF A STERILEHYPODERMIC SYRINGE, (4) A PLURALITY OF SECOND PAIRS OF SECOND GENERALLYUPSTANDING WALLS, EACH OF SAID SECOND WALLS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELTO THE OTHER OF SAID SECOND WALLS, (5) A PLURALITY OF SECOND CONNECTINGBOTTOM WALLS OF CURVILINEAR CONFIGURATION EACH OF SAID SECOND PAIRS OFSECOND WALLS BEING CONNECTED AT THE BOTTOM PORTIONS THEREOF BY ARESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SECOND BOTTOM WALLS TO DEFINE THEREWITH A SECONDELONGATE POCKET AT THE OTHER END OF SAID SHELL TO PROVIDE THEREBY APLURALITY OF SECOND ELONGATE POCKET EXTENDING IN THE SAME GENERALDIRECTION IN SIDE-BY-SIDE PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, AND WITH EACH OF SAIDSECOND POCKETS EXTEND-